Name: 60 Horses in My Herd: Old Songs and Tunes of Tuva
Brand: Shanachie Records
SKU: 64436
Price: 13.9 GBP
Availability: InStock

60 Horses in My Herd

Rating

Album: 60 Horses in My Herd: Old Songs and Tunes of Tuva
#	Song Title		Time
1)	Sygyt: Lament Of The Igil	More Info...
2)	Mezhegei	More Info...
3)	Foreign Land	More Info...
4)	It's Hard To Be Parted From A Friend	More Info...
5)	Kombu	More Info...
6)	Throat-Singing	More Info...
7)	Kongurei	More Info...
8)	Fantasy On The Igil	More Info...
9)	Bayan Dugai	More Info...
10)	Tuvan Internationale	More Info...
11)	Kargyraa	More Info...
12)	Song Of The Caravan Drivers	More Info...

Album: 60 Horses in My Herd: Old Songs and Tunes of Tuva
#	Song Title		Time
1)	Sygyt: Lament Of The Igil	More Info...
2)	Mezhegei	More Info...
3)	Foreign Land	More Info...
4)	It's Hard To Be Parted From A Friend	More Info...
5)	Kombu	More Info...
6)	Throat-Singing	More Info...
7)	Kongurei	More Info...
8)	Fantasy On The Igil	More Info...
9)	Bayan Dugai	More Info...
10)	Tuvan Internationale	More Info...
11)	Kargyraa	More Info...
12)	Song Of The Caravan Drivers	More Info...

Performer Notes

Huun-Huur-Tu, meaning "Layers Of Light," are performers of Tuvan "throat singing" which is practiced in the former Soviet republic of Tuva. On SIXTY HORSES IN MY HERD the group's exotic singing style represents a centuries old form of overtone singing in which the performer can articulate two or three contrasting tones simultaneously.
With this album, the members of Huun-Huur-Tu prove beyond a doubt that they're the bridge between the past and present in Tuva: the past because they have deep respect for the tradition (utilizing traditional instruments such as igil and doshpuluur in addition to the wonderful ankle bones of sheep in bull testicles), and the present as they bring in contemporary elements (guitar and -- previously unknown in Tuva -- the concept of harmony singing). Of course, it's the throat singing that's the highlight, showcased perfectly on "Tuvan Internationale," where unearthly overtones are produced in the throat, amplifying harmonics, often two or three notes at a time. They take chances, although even their own material doesn't stray far from the tradition, with the omnipresent rhythm of horses (the real sound of Tuva) carrying all the songs. Perhaps the piece of greatest interest is "Song of the Caravan Drivers," included here as an homage to Frank Zappa, with whom they worked before his death. This is folk music, to be sure, but of a kind to mystify and engage the Western ear with its exotic flavors. Don't be fooled into thinking it's a novelty, however; for Huun-Huur-Tu this is a record of life in Central Asia, not just as it was, but as it remains. ~ Chris Nickson